Pinchot Institute May 2 Virtual Meeting On U.S. Forest Service Stewardship Contracting

The Pinchot Institute for Conservation and its partners will hold a May 2 virtual meeting on Stewardship Contracting Projects at the U.S. Forest Service from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

Stewardship contracting includes natural resource management practices seeking to promote a closer working relationship with local communities in a broad range of activities that improve land conditions.

These projects shift the focus of federal forest and rangeland management towards a desired future resource condition. They are also a means for federal agencies to contribute to the development of sustainable rural communities, restore and maintain healthy forest ecosystems, and provide a continuing source of local income and employment.

Congress permanently authorized  stewardship contracting authorities through the 2014 Farm Bill.

To learn more about how and why non-agency stakeholders engage the Forest Service in the design and implementation of stewardship projects on National Forests.

This virtual meeting will review lessons learned from a sample of recently completed stewardship contracts and agreements from across the country; evaluating common challenges, strategies, and opportunities.

Topics to be discuss include:

-- How non-agency stakeholders engage in stewardship contracting projects and where their input is having the greatest impact;

-- Differences between projects with established collaborative groups and those that do not have established collaborative groups;

-- How the diversity of participants affects project success; and

-- How the scope and scale of stewardship projects are affected by public involvement.

This meeting is hosted by the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, Michigan State University, the Watershed Research and Training Center, and the USDA Forest Service.

Click Here to register for this free virtual meeting.

For more information on the concept, visit the Pinchot Institute’s Stewardship Contracting webpage.

For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the Pinchot Institute for Conservation website for information on its conservation research and policy programs.  Click Here to sign up for the Institute’s regular updates.

Also learn more about Gov. Pinchot’s home in Pike County by visiting the Grey Towers Heritage Association.  Click Here to sign up for updates from the Association, Like them on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, visit their YouTube Channel, become part of their Google+ Circle and follow them on Instagram.